KAS: for the love of kitties

The journey begins...

Walking down the road on the outskirts of Kalimpong, a hill-station in West Bengal, I was shocked to see two small children playing recklessly with a kitten. I realized that the problem had to be addressed at the core – too many kittens and too little understanding. Fortunately, I received an offer from the Animal Protection Network based in Sweden to help fund a cat ABC at Kalimpong Animal Shelter (KAS), a unit of Help In Suffering and I readily accepted the offer.

Population explosion of kitties...

Kalimpong has a substantial number of free roaming cats including pet, community and feral cats. A female cat starts reproducing when they are 5-7 months old.

Spreading awareness...

Most of cat owners resist neutering of their pets as they believe that can have an adverse impact on her growth and behaviour and may even lead to her death. KAS addressed such issues by creating awareness about the subject. Infact, spaying a female cat not only prevents unwanted litters and eliminates heat periods but also eliminates the risk of life threatening pyometra (pus in the uterus). Additionally, it reduces the risk of mammary tumour (breast cancer). There are significant benefits of neutering (castrating) a male cat too. It has been observed that 90% of neutered cats decrease incidence of urine marking, fighting and roaming.

ABC programme for kitties...

KAS started an Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme for cats, along the lines of the successful ABC programme HIS conducts for controlling street dog population. The complete philosophy of spay/ neuter programme rests on ensuring that the animals are returned to their territory in a healthy condition after surgery. To abide by their principles, KAS built a cattery where they could house 18 cats, thus giving them the flexibility to sterilize nearly a hundred cats a month. To keep the cats engaged, they also provide suitable non-toxic items for their enrichment and play.

The mission gathers momentum...

From day one, the local community participated in the programme whole-heartedly. The volunteers help KAS to trap or catch the cats using specially designed traps.

Kitty adoption…

At KAS, kittens are sterilized, vaccinated against rabies and when they are more than three months old, they are transferred to adoption section. During this time, they are given substantial amount of human interaction/contact and socialization opportunities. Every kitten sterilized and re-homed by their shelter becomes an ambassador of the project which aims at alleviating pain and suffering for this lovely and intelligent being.

(Dr. Naveen Pandey is Vet in Charge of Kalimpong Animal Shelter. He can be contacted atnaveen@helpinsuffering.org or visit www.his-india.org.au)

Beware of bite wounds of the little angels

Cats are mischievous little angels, their playfulness, wagging of tail, soft meows, gentle touch are all welcome. But we should be careful about cat bites because they may cause serious problems. Here’s some valuable information about cat bites.

Cats are mischievous little angels, their playfulness, wagging of tail, soft meows, gentle touch are all welcome. But we should be careful about cat bites because they may cause serious problems. Here’s some valuable information about cat bites.

Cat bites can cause serious problems, which can be of two types:

Cat bites another cat

The first is when cats have a serious fight and the bites and scratches can be very serious – usually for both cats. A bite on a cat’s tail should never be ignored as these can create major problems. All other bites and scratches should be attended to. Keep them clean and consult your vet immediately to make sure all is fine.

Cat bites a human

The cat bites to humans can also be extremely serious and should never be ignored. If the bite or scratch is minor, then wash the area thoroughly using soap and mild disinfectant and keep it clean and cover until the scratch heals. If the wound is deep, consult a doctor immediately. In case there are stitches, take the full course of medicine and antibiotics until all tablets are gone.

It is important that all cat parents have their tetanus shots on a regular basis. Some people react very badly to a cat bite and the affected area can swell up and be very painful.

Cat scratch disease

‘Cat scratch disease’ or ‘cat scratch fever’ is one of the worst human reactions to a cat bite. I also had to undergo such an unpleasant experience and spent almost 3 weeks, on and off, in bed feeling very ill indeed. I was judging at a show and was badly bitten by a cat who we subsequently found out had very bad teeth and was not as healthy as show cats should be. Cat scratch fever is a bacterial disease and although some people only have a mild infection, others, like myself, take quite a while to recover. Depending where the bite is placed – head, hands, neck and upper limbs as well as legs – the area can become swollen. The patient will experience fever, headache, fatigue and poor appetite.

Unfortunately, we cannot tell which cats are likely to carry the bacteria (Bartonella henselae infection) as they do not show any signs of illness.

So, it is up to the parents of all cats to keep their animals in spotless and very clean conditions and make sure that they pay attention to the health of their cats at all times. This applies to companion, breeding and show cats.

Ask the Expert.. May-June 08

Q: I have recently got 3 beautiful Persian kitties of 3 months of age (2 females and 1 male). I don’t want to breed them. Do let me know what I should do?
- Anjali, pune

 

A: Dr. K. G. Umesh: Sterilization (Neutering) of cats who are not intended for breeding has become standard practice and is the best option available at present. Several published papers demonstrate that there are no long-term health risks associated with early neutering of cats (6-7 months of age). Your veterinarian will advise you when your cat will be mature enough to have the operation. Neutered cats may actually enjoy some health benefits related to behavioural changes, such as fewer fight wounds and abscesses.

Sterilization is a routine procedure because it is performed so frequently. Nevertheless, it is major abdominal surgery and requires general anaesthesia. General anaesthetics are best given when a pet has an empty stomach. Follow your veterinarian’s instructions carefully for withholding food and water before surgery. Your cat should be kept indoors for a few days after operation and prevented from excessive movements such as jumping to allow the wound to heal without complications.

Protecting Kitties from heat stroke..this Summer

Summer heat is on…it is the time to protect our furry felines from getting a heat stroke. It could be life threatening and require prompt treatment. Here’s how to protect our kitties from scorching heat.

Cats generally do not cope well with high temperatures and try to cool off themselves by licking. Some cats are more susceptible than others; these include short nosed breeds such as Persians, exotics, young & old cats, obese cats and cats with airway disease. A cat’s body temperature is approximately 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, or 38.2 to 39.2 degrees Celsius. If the outside temperature is higher than your cat’s body temperature, heat stroke becomes a possibility.

Watch out…for symptoms

Heat stroke begins with noisy breathing. The other symptoms of heat stroke are bright red tongue, dark red gums or pale gums, salivating (thick), weakness, anxiety, dizziness, muscle tremors, lethargy, vomiting (possibly with blood), diarrhoea (possibly with blood), bleeding from nose and coma.

Treating heat-struck kitty

If the temperature is 104 degrees Fahrenheit or 40 degrees Celsius, it is a case of mild heatstroke. If the temperature is 105 degree Fahrenheit or 40.5 degrees Celsius, it is a severe case. When this happens, wrap the cat in a wet blanket or immerse her in cold water. You can apply ice packs on her head. Keep taking her rectal temperature every 5 minutes. If her body temperature reaches 103 degree Fahrenheit, stop the cooling process and take her to the veterinarian immediately.

Just a little care can easily protect our kitties…here’s wishing safe and healthy summers to all our feline friends.

Quick tips

• Never leave your cat in a parked car even if it is parked in shade.


• While travelling, always carry your cat in a well-ventilated cat carrier.


• Avoid strenuous activities in high temperatures.


• Let your cat have access to clean and cool water at all times.


• Keep your cat in indoors when the weather is hot.


• Let your cat access cooler areas within the house.


• If yours is an outdoor cat, provide plenty of shade.

The Turkish Van Cat: the swimming cat

Muscular long body, silky coat, amber eyes – these sensational beauties are none other than the Turkish Van Cat. They have a passion for swimming, no doubt, these silky coated beauties invade the hearts of all kitty lovers.

Journey down the lane...

The Turkish (semi) longhair cat is probably one of the oldest domesticated cats. It is said that he is the ancestor of all other longhair breeds. There exist images of cats with ring plumed tails on Urartu jewellery (Urartu Kingdom: 1000–585 BC) and on a Roman shield (occupation Romans classic Armenia: 75–387 AD). Pictures have also been noted in friezes on the walls of ancient Armenian churches in the Lake Van area.

The silky coated beauties…

The Turkish Van is a solid built cat. He has a muscular long body with full chest and shoulders. Males tend to be much larger than females. Their head is broad, wide, modified wedge with rounded contours and high cheekbones. The ears are wide at the base and large in size. The eyes are almond shaped and can be amber, blue or odd eyed (one amber and one blue eye).

The coat is fine and silky and lies flat. There is no undercoat, but there are seasonal differences. In summer, only the tail shows that he is a longhair cat. The tail is thick and muscular.

There are Turkish Vans with and without a “Van pattern.” The first Vans in the Cat Fancy had two coloured spots on their head and a coloured tail. Small patches of colour on body and legs can also be seen. All registries recognise the following colours for the Van pattern combined with white: red, black, creme, blue, also as tabby, tortie and torbie. As seen in other breeds, kittens can have some colour.

Sweet temperament…

Turkish Vans are intelligent, energetic, loyal, and friendly. They are very adroit at opening doors, cupboards and windows, especially if it will lead to food. Many play fetch and carry like Retrievers. They love to race around the house and like to sit on heights and leap onto your shoulders. They are curious and like to investigate everything. They get along great with other cats and dogs, but want to be the boss. They are people oriented and can adjust to indoor living, but require periods of exercise to release pent-up energy. Most Vans are fascinated by running water, as in the fountain type drink well.

Easy upkeep…

Grooming a Van is simple. His coat requires only a quick comb through every week and occasional bath is needed. Because he has no woolly undercoat, a Van’s coat does not mat. He doesn’t need a special diet. You can give him commercial wet and dry food, which can even be combined with fresh meat or cooked fish or chicken.

The birth of kittens is most of the time without complications. The average litter exists of 4 kittens and they are usually good doers. There are not breed specific health problems known.

(Joyce Ouderkerk is a breeder of Turkish Van cats since 1996. She is also a member of TICA Turkish Van breed committee; vicepresident of Turkish Van Cat Connection; and secretary of Turkse Raskattenvereniging Lokum –Dutch Turkish breeds club.)